Focus Areas & Services

St. Charles Youth and Family Services believes that all individuals possess unique and diverse strengths, which serve as a catalyst to healthy self-development and self-reliance. We recognize that individuals may experience obstacles during their lifetime and will benefit from the facilitation, support and partnership with professional services.

To this end, St. Charles is guided by the following principles:

Those we serve…

are most knowledgeable about themselves and are encouraged to use that knowledge to be actively involved in decisions that concern them.
are capable of positive growth and can experience success in their lives; their mistakes are an opportunity to strengthen their ability to learn and grow.
deserve to feel safe and secure in their environment in order to learn and be successful.
need to have the opportunity to make choices, which enable them to take chances/risks in a safe environment.
need to be heard and affirmed that their opinions are important in order to create a sense of belonging.
prosper in a culturally aware and responsive environment.
will experience healthy relationships fostered through mutual respect, positive role modeling and professional interactions between and among staff.

Case Management/Care Coordination

Using strength based and individual processes, St. Charles care coordinators and case managers coordinate resources to help both youth and adults achieve personalized goals. We connect people with an array of services including therapy, employment supports, peer support, medication and wellness management, education supports, daily living assistance, and life skill development. When working with youth, our goals are to successfully maintain the youth in the least restrictive setting, improve the functioning of the child and family across all life domains, and assist the family in building natural supports.

Youth Residential

St. Charles provides residential treatment services for male youth, ages 13 through 17 due to mental health needs and/or in conjunction with court involvement. Our trauma-informed treatment approach includes working closely with the referral source to help identify and prioritize the youth’s needs and customize a plan to pair meaningful interventions to the presenting needs. These interventions include a variety of therapy approaches, high interest activities, alternative education approaches, skill building options, and medication oversight as needed.

Employment & Skill Building

St. Charles operates youth job-training and employment support programs. The Youth Employment Program (YES) includes classroom soft skills training where youth learn how to create a resume, fill out job applications, and gain interviewing practice. They receive paid on the job training for up to three months where they receive ongoing coaching, monthly evaluations, and feedback. Youth select a work crew at the St. Charles Campus or at St. Charles Furniture & Thrift Store, depending on their interests.

St. Charles provides employment and education support services to young adults 16-24. The Supported Employment & Education (SEEd) service is designed to help motivated young adults seek mainstream jobs and further their education, by working with qualified, supportive staff. Our team provides ongoing support to members to assist them with entering and sustaining employment, training or educational services intended to move them toward their career goals.

Foster Care

St. Charles is a licensed State of Wisconsin Child Placing Agency serving individuals in out of home care ages 0 – 21 years old. This service is for children and young adults with special needs removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or significant behavioral or mental health challenges. Eligible foster families receive placement, case management, counseling, 24-hour crisis management, and stabilization services for youth placed in their homes. The goal is to provide the child with the highest level of care in a safe, nurturing, therapeutic, and stable environment until they are reunited with their biological family, adopted, or moved to a more independent living arrangement. Our Treatment Foster Care team works closely with the foster parents providing them with support, guidance and direction to help the youth reach the identified goals of the placement.

Owen’s Place

Owen’s Place is a walk in resource center for young people ages 16-24. Staff assist young adults in learning new skills that will empower them as they strive for independence. Owen’s Place offers many on-site amenities to help assist our young adults in reaching their independence. We provide a computer lab, laundry facilities, one-on-one support, community resources, cooking classes, job search assistance, access to hygiene supplies, group activities, tutoring, recreational activities, and community service activities.

For more information, visit the website www.owens-place.com or call: (414) 977-4249

Early Intervention

St. Charles works with youth to provide community-based early intervention programs to youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system. Programs provide face-to-face contact and regularly scheduled programming. We target interventions to address the nature of the youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice system and build skills and competencies for improved decision-making relative to the behaviors that led to their violations. This helps youth avoid further court involvement and improve their functioning in school, the community, and their families.

Prevention Services

St. Charles provides family intervention services and helps find services outside of the court system for families struggling with youth behavioral concerns in the home, community and/or school. The goal is to provide specific services, resources and supports to strengthen a family’s ability to manage their child’s behavior in the home and prevent further system involvement. In-home supportive services help families connect with sustainable resources in the community to alleviate some of their concerns.

St. Charles also provides prevention case management services to youth and young adults within Milwaukee who need additional supports, but have not been identified by, or provided services through, current systems of care. Case Managers will seek resources to meet the individual needs of these youth/young adults and help them to address barriers to employment, education, financial literacy, mental and physical health access and independent living opportunities.